Anticipated albums of 2012

By Tim Anderl

The January 3 Dayton City Paper cover story on Guided By Voices announced that the Gem City is leading the pack of new musical releases for 2012. If the Dayton boys haven’t already set the bar too high, music fans won’t be disappointed by a year of music that includes anticipated releases from standout performers in all genres, from folk, hip-hop, indie rock, country and metal. Feel free to peruse this list of some of the records we can’t wait to get our mitts on in 2012, while you listen to Pollard and Co’s Let’s Go Eat the Factory, which was released via Fire/GBV on January 1. ‘Nuff said.

Winter 2012:

Leonard Cohen
Due out January 31 via Columbia Records, Old Ideas is Cohen’s first proper album in eight years. In a league with other veteran artists with decade-spanning careers, Old Ideas is expected to turn the heads of folk fans of all ages.

Hit The Lights
Invicta, which the band did for Razor & Tie, abandons the pogo-punk sound they’re famous for and invokes young arena-ready rock bands like Anberlin as contemporaries. The Lima, Ohio quintet’s record hits shelves January 31.

The Jealous Sound
The Jealous Sound, the brainchild of vocalist Blair Shehan (formerly of Knapsack), release A Gentle Reminder on January 31. The record was written and recorded in Foo Fighter’s personal studio and features bass work from Foo Nate Mendel.

Sharon Van Etten
This Brooklyn, NY, based singer/songwriter releases her third studio album, Tramp, via Jagjaguwar in February. The album was recorded by The National’s Aaron Dessner in his garage studio. He also makes a guest appearance on the album.

Cheap Girls
Rise Records will release the new full-length album from the Michigan trio, titled Giant Orange. It was produced by Tom Gabel of Against Me! at the newly built Total Treble Studio just outside of St. Augustine, FL, and will be available in stores and online on Tuesday, February 21.

Ceremony
The California Bay-area punk band headed to Seattle’s London Bridge studio to record Hysteria with Jon Goodmanson (The Blood Brothers) in September 2011. Matador Records will release the band’s fourth studio album.

The Twilight Sad
Scotland’s Twilight Sad drop their third full-length, No One Can Ever Know, February 6 via Fat Cat. The band received production assistance from English DJ, producer and remixer Andrew Weatherall.

Heartless Bastards
The former Ohio band have left their longtime label, Fat Possum Records, and will be putting their next record, Arrow, out on Partisan Records on February 14. They’ll be touring to support the record in 2012. Get it for your Valentine.

Nicki Minaj
Her sophomore effort, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded is also set for release on Valentine’s Day. Two promotional singles – “Roman In Moscow” and “Stupid Hoe,” are already making the rounds online.

Cursive
The Omaha indie rock mainstay releases their latest, I Am Gemini on February 21. The record is the follow up to 2009’s critically acclaimed Mama, I’m Swollen.

Dirty Three
Though word of Grinderman calling it quits drew gasps from indie rock fans in late 2011, Warren Ellis can concentrate on the latest output by Dirty Three, Toward the Low Sun. Their first since 2005, the band releases the album on Drag City on February 21.

Spiritualized
Sweet Heart, Sweet Light is Jason Pierce’s first record since 2008 comeback effort, Songs in A&E. We’re keeping fingers crossed that he takes a full choir and orchestra on the road to support this latest effort delivered by Fat Possum on March 19.

Spring 2012:

Kanye West
On October 19, 2011, West announced on Twitter his plans for a Spring 2012 GOOD Music album. The record label, which stands for Getting Our Dreams Out, already has a dream roster that includes Common, former Ohioans John Legend and Kid Cudi, Mos Def and Pusha T. Expect big things from this entire camp.

Converge
Metal and hardcore fans are already chomping at the bit for the forthcoming Converge record, All We Love We Leave Behind. Massachusetts harbingers of hardcore have consistently landed on year-end best of lists, so the bar is set high.

OFF!
The latest project from Black Flag and Circle Jerks’ Keith Morris announced they are working on a new album that is set for release in the spring. The album will surface in time for the band’s June appearance at the Primavera Sound Festival in Spain.

Summer 2012:

Make Do And Mend
Their first record for Rise will be produced by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Botch), who the post-hardcore band from Connecticut will begin recording with in February.

High on Fire
The band began tracking for their new album with Kurt Ballou (Trap Them). Featuring legendary metal guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike (also of stoner metal trio Sleep) the album will be their sixth studio recording and is expected to drop via eOne Music.

Fall 2012:

Title Fight
Pennsylvanian hardcore band Title Fight, who released Shed via SideOneDummy Records in 2011, plans to begin writing the follow-up in January. J Robbins and Chad Gilbert are candidate knob turners.

Tegan and Sara
The new record by the Canadian twin troubadours is said to be influenced by Tom Petty, ABBA and Kate Bush.

Bring Me The Horizon
The British metalcore band plans on recording LP4 with Fredrik Nordstrom at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden. Guitarist Jona Weinhofen told NME that the album is post-rock inspired.

Black Sabbath
Although it isn’t expected until later in the year, the band’s upcoming 19th studio record may be one of the most anticipated records so far this decade. It is said to feature the classic Sabbath lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. The fact that Rick Rubin (Slayer, Danzig) has signed on to produce the record doesn’t hurt.

Sometime in 2012:

Carrie Underwood
The follow-up to country sweetheart, and former American Idol, Carrie Underwood’s 2009 effort Play On is expected sometime this year. Although the album name and release date are still unknown, the recording, which took place under producer Mark Bright (who worked on her three previous records), is said to be all wrapped up. She’s also confirmed that she’ll be touring like a mad woman in 2012. Yee haw.